A look at the ruling upholding Obamacare and what it means

An assortment of tax increases, health industry fees and Medicare cuts will help pay for the changes.

Still, not everyone will be covered

An estimated 26 million people will remain without coverage once the law is fully implemented, including illegal immigrants, people who don't sign up and choose to face the fines instead, and those who can't afford it even with the subsidies. That number could be higher, depending on whether any states refuse the Medicaid expansion.

The taxing truth

When the law was before Congress, Obama and Democrats avoided calling its penalty for going uninsured a "tax." But the administration argued before the Supreme Court that the law was constitutional as a federal tax. The court rejected two other Obama administration arguments for the law but accepted the tax one.

In 2016, after the law is fully in place, about 4 million people will pay the penalty to the Internal Revenue Service for being uninsured, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated. They would pay $695 per uninsured adult or 2.5 percent of family income, up to $12,500 per year.

The IRS can't prosecute violators or place liens against them, however. Its only enforcement option may be withholding money from refunds.

What are Republicans saying?

"Obamacare was bad law yesterday. It's bad law today," Romney said after the ruling.

The Republican-led House already has voted for repeal but can't push it forward so long as Obama's in the White House and Democrats lead the Senate — making the November elections crucial.